Bill Clinton: “I got my doctor coming to look; we're all right, relax--they wanted to say, ``Any able-bodied person that doesn't get a…”

“I got my doctor coming to look; we're all right, relax--they wanted to say, ``Any able-bodied person that doesn't get a job in a certain amount of time should just be cut off welfare.'' We said, ``It's okay to make people go to work if they're able-bodied, but don't hurt their children. Don't cut off their medical coverage. Don't cut off their food coverage. Give them child care. Give them job training, and give them a chance to make a full life.'' That's what we said. And you know, a couple of vetoes, but we finally did it our way. We've had the biggest drop in welfare rolls in the history of this country. So I believe our side was right, and theirs was wrong. On the environment, when they won the Congress in '95, they tried to implement the contract on America; their idea of the contract was get rid of all the environmental rules and regulations because they are bad for the economy. Our idea was you can make the economy better and the environment better. That's Patty Murray's idea. That's why she got such a big hand on Hanford--[applause]. The truth is, today, 1997, compared to 1992, we have 13.5 million more jobs, cleaner air, cleaner water, fewer toxic waste dumps, and a safer food supply. Patty Murray was right, and her critics were wrong. And you ought to send her back to the United States Senate on the basis of it. So I guess my plea to you is, the people of Washington State have been good to Bill Clinton and to Hillary Clinton and to Al and Tipper Gore. You voted for us twice. You've given us a chance to serve. But we need leaders in this battle who understand what local conditions are and what local concerns are and who stand up for the big national issues. Patty Murray can come before the people of Washington and say, ``Compared to where we were, we've got the lowest unemployment rate in 23 years, the lowest crime rate in 23 years, the biggest drop in welfare rolls in history, a cleaner environment, and I support the direction that this country has taken. That is working.'' And, furthermore, let's look to the future. Who do you really trust to give every child in this State world-class education? Who do you really trust to make sure that we do everything we can to provide health insurance to the children in poor working families who don't have it? Who do you really trust to continue to fight these environmental battles and to deal with all these other things? Patty Murray. I say this now, and every group of Americans I speak to: This is a democracy. There is a direct line of causation from your presence here tonight, the contribution you have made, the work you will do to what happens in Washington, DC, the decisions that are made, and how it echoes back all across America into every little hamlet in this State. This is a better country because the ideas and the values that Patty Murray espouses have dominated the American political landscape, and we are further toward the future, toward building that bridge to the 21st century because of it--more opportunity, more citizen responsibility, and a much, much stronger sense of community than if those who opposed her ideas and her votes had prevailed. So you stick with her, and we'll go there together. Thank you, and God bless you.”